Safety attachment for cars.



P atented Feb; 25, I902.

C. A. WILLARD.

SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR cARs.

(App1 ication filed June 22, 1901.)

(No Mot lei.)

"H "l l l ldl ld ll HLUH I H I I I jecting stem 5, which has its outer terminal ment for cars; and the purpose of the same NITED STATES" ATENT @FFICE.

CHARLES A. WILLARD, OF ST. LOUIS,-1VIISSOURI.

SAFETY ATTACHMENT Foe CARS.

SPEGJEFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,935, dated February 25, 1902.

Application filed June 22,1901.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A.WILLARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Safety Attachment forCars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a safety attachis to provide simple and effective means which will operate in connection with the end of a car to prevent passage of pedestrians or passengers alighting from a car from passing around the end thereof across the tracks and to distinctly indicate the danger of such movement around a car by projecting an obstruction which may carry a signal and be distinguishable at night as well as in daylight, and

thereby prevent injury to pedestrians or passengers by an obscured car or vehicle moving over the adjacent track.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of an electric car, showing the improved attachment applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the portion of the car as shown by Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic View of the electrical connections.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates an electric car having an electric motor of suitable form, as at 2, for driving the same and fed from an overhead or underground system to direct the current thereinto. Secured to the bottom 3 of the car near one side is a solenoid 4, provided with a slidable armature havingapromovably attached to a shifting lever 6, extending transversely of the bottom 3. The lever 6 is fulcrumed near the side edge of the bottom of the car adjacent to which the solenoid is located and has its opposite free end freely movable in a guide 7, also secured to said carbottom 3. The lever 6 is automatically returned to normal position by a stout spring 8, secured to the car bottom in longitudinal alinement with the solenoid, and has one of its Serial No. 65,672. (No model.)

terminals attached to the lever at the same point or about the same point that the stem 5 connects with the said lever. Loosely connected to the free extremity of the lever that moves in the guide 'Zis the inner end of ashifting rod 9,which longitudinally slides in suitable guides on the bottom of the car and has its outer end secured to the inner end of a longitudinally-slidable guard 10, which is projectable from the end of the car. The said guard will be of any suitable length, and it is proposed to construct. the same in various forms and also to supply it with signal devices of any well-known character applicable for the purpose and of such nature as to give notice to pedestrians or passengers that it is dangerous to pass around the end of the car.

The simplified form of the attachment is shown in the drawings as an obstructing-bar, and thereon is arranged an electric light 11, which will be suitably guarded to prevent breaking the same, the said light serving at nightto apprise or notify passengers or others of the danger of crossing the tracks around the car end. The custom of all car companies is to compel the passengers to alight from each car at the outerside of the track on which the car is moving in double-track systems, andwith this end in view the inner side of the car-platform is closed. The attachment will be applied to that side of the platform from which the passengers alight to immediately check their progress in attempting to cross the track, and it will be understood that the guard may be applied to either end of a car, and in some instances both ends of the car will be provided therewith, the lateral arrangement requiring but a duplication of the mechanism already described.

The projection of the guard is controlled by the actuation of the solenoid, and this is connected up by suitable wires 12 to a switch 13 on the platform and Within easy reach of the foot of a motorman or conductor, so that as soon as the car is stopped the said switch may be operated to cause the solenoid to become energized and operate to retract its armature, and thereby shift the lever 6 to the dottedline position. (Shown by Fig. 2.) When the car is started again,the switch-lever is opened, and the solenoid is immediately deenergiz'ed and the spring 8 is free to act to draw the lever 6 to the full-line position (shown by Fig. 2)'and retract the guard, it being understood that the operation of the solenoid projects said guard.

The solenoid and the electric light on the guard will be supplied with the electric current from the feeder, as shown by Fig. 3; but the particular arrangement of the electrical connections may be varied. at will. The improved attachment will be easily applied to any car without causing a reorganization of any of the parts thereof or interfering with the usual structures, and in its use accidents or serious injuries to pedestrians and passengers will be prevented.

It is obvious that the solenoid may be replaced bya compressedair-controlled piston, the latter and the armature of the solenoid being equivalents in operating the lever 6, and by this means the improved device will be applicable to cars other than those electrically operated.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is-- 1. The combination with a car, of a slidable guard-bar applied to the bottom of the car and capable of inward and outward movement, said bar when moved inward being practically concealed beneath the car, means for operating the bar, and a signal device carried by the outer end of the bar, substantially as described. 7

2. The combination with a car, of a rigid longitudinally-slidable guard-bar applied to the bottom of the car and movable outwardly and inwardly from and under the end of the latter, and means for operating said bar.

3. The combination with a car, of a rigid longitudinally-slidable guide-bar applied to the bottom of the car and movable outwardly from and inwardly under the end of the latter, electrical means for expelling the bar, and mechanical means for retracting the same.

4:. The combination with a car, of a guardbar mounted to slide longitudinally outwardly and inwardly in relation to the ends of the car, a shiftable lever to which said bar is conneoted, the lever moving in a plane at arrangle to the direction of movement of the bar, a solenoid having a movable portion thereof attached to said lever, a spring also attached to the lever to return it to the normal position, and electrical connections for the parts. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. \VILLARD. \Vitnesses:

J. H. JOCHUM, Jr., FRANK S. APPLEMAN. 

